US embassy cable - 05HOCHIMINHCITY872

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 000872 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL, DRL/IRF, DS/IP/EAP, DS/IP/ITA, 
DS/CC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, SOCI, PREL, PGOV, ASEC, KIRF, VM, Human Rights, Religious Freedom 
SUBJECT: ATTEMPTED SELF-IMMOLATION IN FRONT OF CONGEN HCMC 
 
REF:  HCMC 846 and previous 
 
1.  (SBU) At approximately 0900 local time, August 19, an 
unidentified man, dressed in street clothes, collapsed a short 
distance from the main entrance of the U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi 
Minh City.  The Consulate local guards rushed to assist, and found 
that the person's clothes were doused with gasoline or a similar 
fuel.  The person also had a bottle of fuel on his person.  He had 
a cigarette lighter in one hand and a letter in another.  ConGen 
guards quickly removed the lighter to ensure the man's safety.  Ho 
Chi Minh City police responded and arrested the man and removed 
him to an unknown location.  We have requested Ho Chi Minh City 
authorities provide us with the results of their investigation on 
the individual. 
 
2. (SBU) It appears that the individual is linked to Hoa Hao 
dissidents in the Mekong Delta, two of whom had self-immolated on 
August 5 (reftels).  Following the incident in front of the 
ConGen, we received a call from Le Quan Liem, a leader of the Hoa 
Hao dissidents based in HCMC.  Liem said that a contact of his "in 
the Delta" said that there would be a self-immolation attempt in 
front of the Consulate.  He told us that he had no prior knowledge 
of this effort and asked us if anything had happened. 
 
3. (SBU) Separately, Truong Van Duc, another Hoa Hao dissident 
leader based in the Delta's An Giang Province, called us at 0830 
to inform us of his decision to apply for resettlement in the 
United States under the "P-1" program.  He complained that his 
home remains surrounded by police officers, but he did not make 
any reference to action in front of the Consulate. 
 
4. (SBU) Comment:  Paragraph 5 contains suggested "if asked" press 
guidance on the incident.  In all of our previous contacts with 
Liem and Duc, we have emphasized that self-immolation is not an 
acceptable form of protest no matter the grievance and that we 
would end contact if such attempts continued.  Liem has told us 
that he understood and was trying to counsel restraint, but that 
he has limited influence over his followers in the Delta.  True or 
not, we believe it is time to make clear that the USG does not 
condone violent extremism in any form and to minimize contact with 
Liem's group.  End Comment. 
 
5. (SBU) Begin "If asked" press guidance: 
 
Q. Did someone try and self-immolate in front of the Consulate on 
August 19? 
 
A.  This morning, an unidentified man apparently attempted self- 
immolation in front of the main entrance of the U.S. Consulate in 
Ho Chi Minh City.  Consulate guards and Vietnamese security 
officers prevented the attempt. 
 
Q. Who is this person?  Was this incident linked to other self- 
immolation incidents in the Mekong Delta?  What happened to the 
letter he was holding? 
 
A. We have no further information on the identity of the person, 
who was subsequently detained by local police.  The United States 
categorically rejects self-immolation and all other acts of 
violent extremism no matter the underlying grievances.  We urge 
all involved to avoid taking actions that might lead to loss of 
life. 
 
WINNICK